Conventionally, there are numerous sensors in motor vehicles, with the aid of which accidents and their sequence may be detected or even predicted. The most important safety systems of motor vehicles include airbags, in particular also an airbag which provides particular protection for the driver of a motor vehicle and is situated in a steering wheel. Airbags are also usually referred to as “passive” safety systems. The exact point in time of the firing of an airbag is crucial in different accident situations. Both a very early firing as well as a late firing of airbags is unfavorable for the occupants, in particular the driver. By way of an ideal adaptation of the firing time of an airbag as a function of a specific accident situation, a considerable improvement in the protection of the occupants may be effectuated. Yet another important group of safety systems are so-called “active” safety systems which may actively intervene into the accident occurrence. These include, for example, so-called emergency braking assistants.
German Patent Application No. DE 10 2013 021 930 A1 describes, for example, methods for operating safety systems for motor vehicles, in which information regarding the position of at least one occupant of the motor vehicle is taken into account.
In addition, German Patent Application No. DE 10 2007 015 768 B4 describes extensive options for detecting different accident situations with the aid of various sensors and for firing an airbag, at a suitable point in time, in response thereto.
Finally, German Patent Application No. DE 198 22 850 A1 describes various options for determining the presence of an occupant and his/her position and for influencing an airbag control method with the aid of this information.